Last week, Hurricane Sandy put climate change back in the political discussion. Sandy gave the American people a painful taste of what is likely to be in store for us as the planet’s weather continues to change rapidly. The storm inflicted significant damage on regional infrastructure, crippled transit, and left millions without power. Only the extraordinary accuracy of our weather prediction and foresight in preparations by state and local governments prevented a catastrophic loss of life as well.

And yet, while our political leaders treat threats like terrorism, Russia, or cyberwar as existential threats to America’s national security, they lump climate change into an issue that only special-interest “environmental” campaigners care about. While no one doubts the existence of al Qaeda, many otherwise serious politicians have questioned the underlying facts about climate change.

This has to change, and it starts with the facts. First, climate change is real and it is already underway. The temperature record is undisputable. Over the past century, the average mean global temperature has risen about 1.4˚F (0.8˚C). The warmest decade on record was the 2000s, with each of the three decades previous to that warmer than the decade before. While it is true that the earth’s climate has always undergone periods of fluctuations, this period is notable because it is especially rapid and unprecedented in the prehistoric record.

Next, climate change is largely caused by a global surge in greenhouse gas emissions that were introduced at beginning of the Industrial Revolution. While the climate and weather systems are very complex, the science behind the “Greenhouse effect” is relatively simple. The earth is habitable because gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane trap heat, like a blanket around the earth. However, humans have added more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. This causes the atmosphere to trap more and more heat.

These basic facts should not be in dispute. An estimated 97 percent of climate scientists agree with these basic facts. There are disagreements – as in every field of science – that are largely focused on the sensitivity of the climate to precise additional emissions and the impact that those emissions have on weather patterns. Many scientists contend that the earth is likely to suffer greater harm than the scientific consensus says. It is simply not credible for a politician or a commentator to question those facts by cherry picking evidence or claiming that there is no scientific consensus.

The effects of climate change have never been more apparent. Sea levels are rising by about 3 mm per year. Arctic sea ice fell almost 50 percent below the 1979-2000 average. In 2012, more than 15,000 heat-related records in the United States were broken. This summer the US experienced the worst drought since the 1930s. Unprecedented fires occurred across the western United States. And, last week, the East Coast was hit by a storm unprecedented in size. Climate change is happening and is getting harder to ignore.

While projections of how much the climate will change are clearly uncertain, we do know that the longer we wait, the worse it gets.

Reducing greenhouse gases while implementing adaptation measures is basic risk management. Military planners and business executives routinely operate under uncertainty and make decisions based on incomplete information. If a battlefield commander waited until all facts were known about an advancing enemy, he would put his troops at risk. When 97 percent of the experts tell us that operating on a business-as-usual trajectory will exponentially increase risk, why is it that we dismiss them?

Facts will eventually force action. Although the presidential campaign was largely devoid of a discussion on climate change, the President Obama, during his second term, and the Congress will be forced to take serious steps to address this real and accelerating problem. As the American Security Project’s new Climate Security Report makes clear, climate change threatens national security. It acts as an accelerant of instability around the world and it poses clear dangers to America’s homeland security.

Climate change will impose costs. There are costs of inaction. We can either pay now by investing in clean energy technologies and sensible measures to adapt to the consequences of a warming climate, or we will pay later in disaster response. These investments will not be cheap. Investments in flood gates and surge barriers to protect vital harbors will cost billions, as they did 50 years ago in The Netherlands. Clean energy solutions in the United States are necessary, but must be paired with action around the world. Climate change is a global problem that will require global solutions. By unleashing American ingenuity and entrepreneurship to develop solutions, we can avoid the worst consequences of climate change and protect our vital national security interests in the process.

Lieutenant General Dan Christman, USA (ret.) was a member of NATO’s Military Committee in Brussels and was superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point. Brigadier General Steve Anderson, USA (ret.) was Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics for the Multi-National Force in Iraq under General David Petraeus. Brigadier General Stephen Cheney, USMC (ret.) was the Commanding General at Parris Island and the Inspector General of the Marine Corps.

11-15-2012, 09:05 PM

acepepe

What happened after the great ice age???? And after the Maunder minimum???? I'll wait while you look them up Buster. Was it..... Global warming???????Why did algore buy a COASTAL house??? With the billion he's made on this scam, bTW.

Climate change itself is already in the process of definitively rebutting climate alarmists who think human use of fossil fuels is causing ultimately catastrophic global warming. That is because natural climate cycles have already turned from warming to cooling, global temperatures have already been declining for more than 10 years, and global temperatures will continue to decline for another two decades or more.

That is one of the most interesting conclusions to come out of the seventh International Climate Change Conference sponsored by the Heartland Institute, held last week in Chicago. I attended, and served as one of the speakers, talking about The Economic Implications of High Cost Energy.

Axil, do you think "...global temperatures have already been declining for more than 10 years"?

11-15-2012, 09:48 PM

Warfish

Anyone tryng to link Sandy with Climate Change is being dishonest, and pushing an agenda.

I'll be happy to listen to "Combat climate change" ideas, as soon as the ideas include ways our quality of life and costs will not have to suffer, and how any such changes can be enforced globally, i.e. on not just us but Russia, China, India, Brazil, etc. universally.

Till you answer those two issues, you're not really serious about the issue in the first place.

11-15-2012, 10:12 PM

Buster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warfish

Anyone tryng to link Sandy with Climate Change is being dishonest, and pushing an agenda.

Nobody is doing that. They are linking Sandy, Katrina, the Western drought, the forest fires in the mountain states, the summer melt off of the ice sheet that covers the north pole, Africa’s deserts growing in size by leaps and bounds, Venice Italy flooding dozens of times per year, Australia’s desert growing in size, the global mean temperature rising for decade after decade, etc… to climate change

11-15-2012, 10:39 PM

Warfish

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster

Nobody is doing that. They are linking Sandy, Katrina, the Western drought, the forest fires in the mountain states, the summer melt off of the ice sheet that covers the north pole, Africa’s deserts growing in size by leaps and bounds, Venice Italy flooding dozens of times per year, Australia’s desert growing in size, the global mean temperature rising for decade after decade, etc… to climate change

I'll be happy to listen to "Combat climate change" ideas, as soon as the ideas include ways our quality of life and costs will not have to suffer, and how any such changes can be enforced globally, i.e. on not just us but Russia, China, India, Brazil, etc. universally.

Till you answer those two issues, you're not really serious about the issue in the first place.

And I'll add, any "plan" that primarily involves various forms of "giving U.S. taxpayer money to third world countries" can also diaf and gfy as well.

So you just let me know when we're serious about it Buster, and you'll have my full support.

11-16-2012, 08:44 AM

quantum

Was reading an article about a week ago, written by a real climatologist, that said we're now mirroring a cycle from the 50s for hurricanes and storms.

Busterbot, have you considered posting a "bring back Herm and Chad" thread on the Strip?

Axil, do you think "...global temperatures have already been declining for more than 10 years"?

I believe that atmospheric temperatures recorded by weather balloons has declined for the past ten years. I don't think anyone disputes that fact. Those who still consider global warming a reality have ways to explain that away. Those who believe the warming process has become to reverse don't buy those explanations.

I'm not going to present the argument for you. Do you deny atmospheric temperatures have declined since 2000? If not, why do you believe global warming is still an issue. Please note that an appeal to authority is not a logically sound way to argue a premise. Give me your opinion on the facts in evidence.

11-16-2012, 12:01 PM

palmetto defender

I'm sitting here in Charleston and haven't been able to out on my boat in 10 days - COLD.

In the past I've been out in Dec and Jan in short sleeves.
I have to wear sweats.

11-16-2012, 03:38 PM

detjetsfan

Global Warming and Climate Change are very real. Conservative Activists who deny it are so clueless it's gotten to the point of comedy. That said I don't think there's really anything the US can do to make a major dent in this anymore. Other countries are producing carbon emissions at a rate close to the United States (UAE is one example) and you have bigger countries like China and India industrializing so in the near future they will be even bigger polluters than the US.

What can we do to stop this? I really have no idea.

11-17-2012, 10:18 PM

intelligentjetsfan

Quote:

Originally Posted by acepepe

What happened after the great ice age???? And after the Maunder minimum???? I'll wait while you look them up Buster. Was it..... Global warming???????Why did algore buy a COASTAL house??? With the billion he's made on this scam, bTW.

The Earth has had warming and cooling cycles long before man showed up. It is the epitome of arrogance to think the Earth's climate would remain unchanged if we weren't here.

11-17-2012, 11:19 PM

SONNY WERBLIN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster

Nobody is doing that. They are linking Sandy, Katrina, the Western drought, the forest fires in the mountain states, the summer melt off of the ice sheet that covers the north pole, Africa’s deserts growing in size by leaps and bounds, Venice Italy flooding dozens of times per year, Australia’s desert growing in size, the global mean temperature rising for decade after decade, etc… to climate change

How far back are we gonna go? Did it cause the dust bowl? Wait, ... I bet Noah wasn't a prophet after all, he was just the first global warming scientist.

11-18-2012, 01:02 AM

JetsCrazey

it's natural for climates to change. nature is not static.

having said that, we should minimize our emissions.

11-18-2012, 01:13 PM

Axil

Quote:

Originally Posted by detjetsfan

Global Warming and Climate Change are very real. Conservative Activists who deny it are so clueless it's gotten to the point of comedy. That said I don't think there's really anything the US can do to make a major dent in this anymore. Other countries are producing carbon emissions at a rate close to the United States (UAE is one example) and you have bigger countries like China and India industrializing so in the near future they will be even bigger polluters than the US.

Man, global warming is just so obvious it's impossible to present any sort of argument or evidence in support of it, huh?

11-18-2012, 04:16 PM

marano

oh yeah

Buster,

It can and it will. The root word of ignorance is ignore or it should be. The idiots will ignore science because big business tells them they should. They will even be smug in their stupidity and mock people with brains as being "elites" as intelligence is a sign of weakness for them. And yes they suck.

11-18-2012, 04:18 PM

marano

and

Most of them will be those who watch and believe fox "news".

11-18-2012, 04:44 PM

Axil

Quote:

Originally Posted by marano

Buster,

It can and it will. The root word of ignorance is ignore or it should be. The idiots will ignore science because big business tells them they should. They will even be smug in their stupidity and mock people with brains as being "elites" as intelligence is a sign of weakness for them. And yes they suck.

So you don't have any evidence or reason to bring to the table either? I'm sorry my ignorance, and lack of intelligence must be keeping me from fully grasping the strength of the arguments presented in this thread :huh:

11-18-2012, 05:15 PM

Jungle Shift Jet

No such thing , no metrics that prove global warming exists whatsoever

no lib knows what to "do about it" except try to tax and/or ban anything they think causes it.

Having a firm " belief" more fanatic than fanatic religious or political cults makes it so